halolegendsfandomcom-20200214-history
Mountain Bear
Mountain Bears were large predatory mammals that inhabited the planet of Britannia. They were known throughout the galaxy for their huge size and terrible ferocity. Habitat Mountain Bears inhabited the large mountain range of The Spine. In addition to this they dwelled in the mountains on the continent Alban. Although they generally confined themselves to the mountains, occasionally they would come down onto the dry savannahs to prey on wild grazers if food was scarce in the ranges. Their main predatory rival was the Mountain Wolf, or the Cave Wolf. Behaviour Mountain Bears were almost exclusively solitary creatures, being seen together only in mid-summer during mating season. It was the female of the species which was dominant, largely due to her bigger size. Mountain Bears mated for life, which accounts for the relatively small numbers of competition between bears. If a bear's mate died, it did not mate again. During the quite easy summer months, the Bears put on a large amount of weight to see them through winter. As omnivores, they preyed on Snow Goats, wild fruits and vegetables and occasionally scavenging the carcass of another animal's kill. Bears usually made their den in rock caves in summer, but were able to climb the largest of trees if necessary. During the winter, they abandoned their dens, which were freezing (being made of stone, and recieving no sunlight), for hollows dug into the snow at the bottom of the drift-filled valleys. The hollows provided shelter from the howling wind and were surprisingly warmer than the rock caves. It was during this time that the Bears lost a large proportion of their body weight. They hibernated to conserve energy. While inside the hollows, the females gave birth to litters of around three cubs. Normally they would stay in the hollow, the cubs surviving on the mother's milk but the mother recieving no nourishment but her body fat stores. However, if the female was unable to provide milk, she and her cubs would venture down from the mountains and onto the vast, dry savannahs in search of food. While doing so she exposed her cubs to massive danger. While in the mountains, nothing would attack her offspring, not even another bear- but out on the plains, there were many dangers. A pack of Wild Dogs could easily kill one of her cubs. Physical Characteristics Though named as bears, likely due to their intimidating size, they were actually more like dogs in their characteristics. Despite this, they posessed an extraordinary amount of dexterity, ensuring their survival in the harsh, dramatic landscape of The Spine. During the mild mountain summers, the Bears aquired a dark brown or black colouring to match the dense coniferous forests and the dark grey rock. During the winter, the Bears moulted and grew a thicker white coat, camoflaging them in the deep snow. Mountain Bears stood three full metres tall while on all fours, and more than twice than when reared on hind legs. They had long, dog-like faces and feline-like claws. They could tear a man apart in a single swipe. Behind The Scenes *The 'Mountain Bears' for this article are actually Hyaena cubs.